That would be pretty funny – unfortunately it wouldn't fit through the doors. Suffice to say the only risk of death from a lethal dose would be through it falling on you and crushing or suffocating you.
Bennett's been a poster-child for dishonesty and lack of integrity for a decade now, so her oregano-waving is par for her unsavoury course. It's depressing that she so consistently gets away with it.
I m an alcoholic I have struggled with it for decades I consume 90 – 200 grams of alcohol a day (yeah food is a much lower priority). When I have cannabis to smoke I lose interest in drinking – if it is legalised with the home growing allowed …I will smoke about 1 gram a day instead of ingesting 90 – 200 grams a day of alcohol. I see the merchants of hate doing their utmost to try to prevent this – images of Bridges and Bennett induce revulsion, depression and fear in me. /rant ends
" I see the merchants of hate doing their utmost to try to prevent this – images of Bridges and Bennett induce revulsion, depression and fear in me. "
They do such damage with their politicking and lies, and I hope in this case it is seen by all NZers as the hot air of rancid balloons that it is. I would prefer a government who looks at the harm done by current laws to change them without need for referendum. Let's hope that is the case within the next couple of years, it will benefit many – as well as yourself.
"Katherine Rich served as a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the National Party from 1999 to 2008. She has been chief executive of the New Zealand Food & Grocery Council, an industry lobby group, since 2009. Wikipedia"
She was active on the debate on rtd's from memory.
Buster 12 my question to you is if this is true here;
“The Latest on the US Democratic Party “Impeachment into Trump inquiry” results so far is – “Nothing to see here” according to the Democratic impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.”
Democratic Party you are a wasting lots of valuable of time here,
Question is ; US democratic Party- Why don’t you get on to fix our planet will you.!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is a fitting quote here is; “US Democratic Party is siting doing nothing while Rome burns”
Quote;
“The fact that Republicans may be derelict in their duty does not relieve us of our obligation to uphold and defend the Constitution,” Schiff tweeted last week.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., also ripped Trump for not fully cooperating with Congress.
“If the President thinks the call was ‘perfect’ and there is nothing to hide then he would turn over the thousands of pages of documents requested by Congress, allow witnesses to testify instead of blocking testimony with baseless privilege claims, and provide any exculpatory information that refutes the overwhelming evidence of his abuse of power,” he said in a statement.
Well you are here now calling for a 'sacking' of one of our MPs in NZ, we see as based on slim pickings, similar to the same thing happening in Washington now.
So its about your slim narrative you involve in as Democratic party are in Washington.
Are you a member of some 'anti-NZ First political hit'?
"We need a President who isn’t a laughing stock to the entire World,” Donald Trump tweeted in 2014. “We need a truly great leader, a genius at strategy and winning. Respect!”
Interesting how the world 'unites' at the 'hilarity' of Trump..what we really need is a world where any and all leaders who don't advocate for a basic level of equality for all their citizens, and who don't bring around actual real change to prepare for the climate disaster currently brewing..that those leaders are treated as the odd one out..the 'joke' if you will..especially those in comparatively wealthy, educated and proggresive Nations.
Watching Princess Anne* being entertained by the likes of Macron, Trudeau, Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte with their hilarious observations of Trump I couldn't help but wonder who would be the first to crack a joke about that naughty pedo brother of hers and his sex trafficker friends..oh, yeah, and ol' Bill Clinton..
* at the Buckingham Palace drinks reception for NATO leaders last night
There is a large number of people who find Trump particularly amusing or entertaining. I suspect it is because they are not those who are impacted by his government and policies. Those who are – quite rightly – will be understandably terrified of this man and the harm he and his government have inflicted. And no-one really knows what his next transgression will be. It is almost like the hyper-vigilance children often have when a parent is both violent and unpredictable.
"..what we really need is a world where any and all leaders who don't advocate for a basic level of equality for all their citizens, and who don't bring around actual real change to prepare for the climate disaster currently brewing.. ..that those leaders are treated as the odd one out.. " I'll join you in hoping for the next iteration of leaders. They'll be needed.
Live animal exports – let's stop. They don't get a luxury cruise, they didn't want to go anywhere away from their home paddock, and they suffer discomfort all the way at least, which will increase as world weather patterns become more extreme, and many may die in distress. Stop this, can we hold onto values of care and not behave like boorish and brutal …. (think your own description). https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/12/05/review-of-controversial-live-export-trade-open-for-public-submissions-safe/
found that PPP “contracts are considerably more expensive than the cost of conventional procurement”, resulting in higher returns for the companies running the PPP’s compared to their industry peers.
While hard to compare because of the opaque nature of many contracts and large amounts of subcontracting out, it looked like the actual cost of capital of the PPP’s was 11% compared to Treasure borrowing of 4.5% i.e. 6.5% higher. This is supposed to represent the cost of risk transfer but in practice there was no risk transfer so it’s money for nothing.
The Greenpeace "OMV" protests have been very stylish events. The latest, where a "Museum to oil" was set up, shows how well presented these protests have become; no hand-scribbled placards here; everything that gets seen by the public is, well, classy, these days.
Never judge a book by its cover. I find Prius drivers quite aggressive on the road. I haven’t seen too many Teslas so I’ll have to reserve judgment on those.
I am surprised Israel Folau didn’t get a mention. Christmas certainly came early for the $8 million dollar man. Free speech, not rugby, was the winner.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
The ARU decision to issue Folau a new 4 year contract after the first social media contention would itself rank as one of the bigger blunders made by any sports body executives.
And that was before the sacking, the impasse since and the cost of the settlement – so it now ranks as one of the all-time great blunders. Her own contract is unlikely to be renewed. 
By the way the CEO says that the $8M is untrue and it is less (journalists will speculate to get clarification of the area of the amount).
If the cost to the ARU settlement is greater than
1.future legal costs BAD
2. the unpaid part of the 4 year contract (3 years – 3.6M) VERY BAD.
3. closer to 8 than 4, DISASTROUS.
Jamie Stern-Weiner argues that the (UK based) The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) is shifting the goal posts to portray that antisemitism is higher on the left (polling done via You Gov), and not the right (based around questions about Israel).
I had the impression from Stewart that he didn't make the decision eg when asked directly he said something like it was his responsibility. The kind of answer you'd give as a boss for someone under you who had fucked up who you weren't going to throw under the bus. I could be wrong and he might have just been trying to soften the blows towards himself.
We have immediately changed the way our cartoon is selected. Traditionally, this was kept entirely separate from the news team and was the preserve of the editor. Our daily cartoons will now be considered and debated by our broader editorial team.
So the author of the apology was the only person at the ODT who selected what cartoon to publish.
That's the perils of contracting out, I guess. I watched a doco a few years ago on a veteran US newspaper cartoonist – apparently each day he'd scratch up a dozen and then show them around the newsroom to see which one people saluted the most. I guess if one guy is writing from a lifestyle block near Queenstown and it's only being reviewed by an editor of 'a similar demographic', outright crass disregard for the lives of people of colour might slip under the radar.
If the Editor was off sick or had a personal emergency, who was making decisions? I assume 'editor' there means a single position, not a single person.
It might have been Stewart, who possibly wasn't paying attention and later realised just how bad a mistake it was. That could be a similar demographic issue as well or someone overworked/stressed.
I'm thinking his willingness to front up suggests this wasn't a case of pushing the controversy envelope for the sake of it and now backtracking in the face of public criticism (i.e. he seems to genuinely agree it was a terrible decision).
I guess I'm just pleased to see someone who seems genuine and made an actual apology instead of a faux, get me out of hot water one.
But this isn't the first time Tremain has done some pretty shite cartoons. I don't get the impression he tries to be edgy for clicks, so much as that he's a privileged dick who doesn't bother to check if he's punching down.
Totally agree with that. Tremain is just an arsehole who doesn't give a shit (or worse, thinks he's not doing anything wrong). The impression I have is that it's the *papers that publish his cartoons because of the edge. In this case they seriously misjudged how bad the cartoon was and I guess that's in part because they're acclimatised to his routine racism, having published it for so long. I hope this is part of their review.
I get the impression that the ODT runs Garrick Tremain for the same reason the Fortune Theatre loved to run Roger Hall plays: it's what seemed to get the local audience amongst the provincial well-to-dos who still want to pay for subscriptions to the actual paper. And I think Tremain gets points for having been around for so long and being "local".
To be fair, Tremain has the cartoon art schtick down pat. Some of his political party stuff is good. It's just that his best caricature is of "cartoonist for the moneyed colonialist patriarchy". And the ODT has always been the voice of the establishment, as far back as I can recall. To the degree that an NLP comrade of mine reckoned he knew for sure that Lab4 had turned tory when the ODT editorial started singing its praises.
Ok, so Tremain might be valued for his overall body of work rather than the pushing the edge ones?
I was wondering yesterday who still reads a physical paper. I only read one when I'm in a cafe. I see people on twitter saying they bought a copy of the Herald to read something that was paywalled, which is interesting.
Also interesting was Stuff republishing the measles cartoon in their coverage of the response from the public and the ODT despite also writing a clear description of the cartoon content.
Tremain has been going for thirty years. The ODT much longer.
I'm not sure either have really moved on in the last few decades.
I can't shake the feeling that neither of them were being edgy. It's possible that the editor didn't really review the cartoon itself, but it's equally possible neither the editor nor the cartoonist saw anything wrong with it. Because that's how NZ was as a matter of routine. We're still "racist as fuck", but at least sometimes the people who refuse to change get called out on it now.
The best I can think of is that the literal dozens of deaths were fighting for attention in their minds against the perception of measles as a fairly harmless disease… just "spots". If 50 kids had died in a bus accident in Samoa, I doubt there would have been a cartoon about someone failing their local car WoF inspection.
Yep, changed my mind, I think you are right and I was wrong giving Stewart the benefit of the doubt. Long standing pattern of behaviour,
Let's be real clear. Barry Stewart is @odtnews editor. He was in 2004 too: ODT staffer Amy – "I said to them 'this is unacceptable, we can't publish this. It absolutely must not be published'… they just laughed in my face & I was told to put it through" https://t.co/EJ3tbFPLvF
If a cartoonist can't offend, then free speech is worthless. That's something we can take from the Israel Folau saga, which saw Rugby Australia capitulate. RA inexplicably thought rugby, and its sponsors, were more important than free speech. Numpties.
Besides, what the cartoonist did in this instance can be seen and heard on just about any episode of 7 Days.
do you believe there should be no limits on free speech? eg a cartoon graphically depicting the rape of a child would be ok?
What about a cartoon inciting racial violence?
Tremain's cartoon does neither, so it might be useful to talk about reality rather than take a detour into fantasy. Certainly free speech has its limits. But some people take offence at the drop of a hat. You are free to take offence or not.Taking offence isn't compulsory. I'm not offended by Tremain's cartoon. I'm also not offended by 7 Days, whose attempt at humour can be more extreme than anything done by Tremain.
There was outrage among some people at the cartoon of Serena Williams following her meltdown at the US open in 2018. Actually, it was an accurate portrayal of Williams’ petulant behaviour.
ok, so you're not arguing that cartoonists should be free to offend at will, you're saying there should be a limit but in this case the limit is wrong. What makes you think you should get to say where the limit is rather than others?
Limits are prescribed in law. You might recall MP Louisa Wall going to the High Court because she didn't like an Al Nisbet cartoon. She lost, of course, because the Nisbet cartoon wasn't inciting violence. In fact, it didn't come close to inciting violence. Again, if you choose to be offended, that's your choice. But you can just as easily choose not to be offended.
Justice Muir said during the hearing that freedom of speech could be considered to be “the most important cornerstone of a liberal democracy”.
“Without it you have no rule of law, you have nothing else,” he said.
a cartoon depicting the rape of child wouldn't necessarily be illegal. So where is the limit? Saying you want to talk about reality doesn't help, I suspect that's you simply sidestepping the fact that you have a limit and aren't being honest about it. But maybe I'm wrong, maybe you are ok with such a cartoon. Either way, you're still saying that you should get to decide where the limit is, whereas at the moment society generally accepts the limit is reached before legality.
Freedom of speech is at core a principle that governments shouldn't prevent citizens from expressing opinions. There's no government involvement here. Tremain is still free to post his cartoon on his website. He hasn't been sacked, so there is no institutional suppression of his voice there either.
What we have is a large number of people saying that it's inflammatory to use political power to make jokes about a contagious disease that is killing children while children are still dying, in a country that is in a state of emergency and that has strong family and cultural ties to NZ. Of course people are going to take that personally, there will be NZ citizens who have people close to them who have died. Grief isn't something that one just chooses out of.
Had someone made that joke on TS, they'd have been moderated because otherwise a flame war would have started and that interferes with the purpose of the site. People aren't inherently protected from being offended, but likewise people in positions of power can't just do what they want without consequence. This is the continual adjustment that society makes all the time, in large part influenced by the collective will.
Protecting society from the equivalent of flame wars is important. Protecting freedom of speech is also important but I think there needs to be a better argument than 'I can say what I want and bugger anyone who is offended'.
Nowhere am I saying I get to decide. I said the law gets to decide, usually in exceptional cases or where someone has a bee in their bonnet. The Tremain cartoon isn’t exceptional.
As for your claim that there needs to be a better argument to justify free speech, actually there doesn’t. What there ought to be is a very good argument to restrict or deny free speech. You haven’t made out such an argument.
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Jim Mann, University of OtagoType 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in New Zealand and will get much worse unless action is taken now, according to a new report on the economic and social cost of the disease. Already 228,000 New Zealanders (4.7% of the population) have type 2 ...
School Strike 4 Climate has announced another climate strike for April 9th, and invited everyone to join them in standing up against climate change. As before there will be events all over the country, and you can find yours on their strike map. Personally, I'm nervous about protesting during a ...
Small businesses are not only the heart of our economy – they’re also the heart of our communities. They provide important goods and services, as well as great employment opportunities. They know and love their locals. And after a tough year, they need our support! ...
Green Party spokesperson for Pacific Peoples Teanau Tuiono MP, supports the demand from Pasifika communities fighting for climate action as their homelands are more at risk in the Pacific region. ...
The Green Party supports the six demands for climate action put forward by School Strike for Climate NZ, who are striking across the country today. ...
The Ministry of Justice Māori victimisation report, released today, reinforces what we already know about the impact of systemic racism in Aotearoa and that urgent action is needed. ...
Ricardo Menéndez March’s Members Bill to ensure that disabled New Zealanders do not face discrimination for having a disability assist dog was today pulled from the biscuit tin to be debated in Parliament. ...
More than one million people will be better off from today, thanks to our Government’s changes to the minimum wage, main benefits and superannuation. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to do more for New Zealanders who continue to miss out, as main benefits are set to rise by less than $8 a week tomorrow, Thursday 1 April (at the start of the financial year). ...
Sunday 28th March 70 Rongomaiwahine descendants welcomed members of the Green Party’s Māori Caucus, Te Mātāwaka, Dr Elizabeth Kerekere and Teanau Tuiono, to discuss concerns about RocketLab’s operations on the Mahia Peninsula. ...
The new homes enabled through additional borrowing capacity for Kāinga Ora announced by Government today must have a Te Tiriti o Waitangi lens, having Māori take the lead in developing homes ...
We’ve announced the next steps in our plan to tackle New Zealand’s housing crisis, as we take urgent action to help more Kiwis into homes. Here, we answer your questions about our plan to improve housing in New Zealand. ...
We believe everyone deserves a warm, dry place to call home, which is why we’ve announced the next steps in our plan to tackle the housing crisis. The new policies we’ve announced build on the work we’ve already done to improve housing in New Zealand. Here’s a look at everything ...
The Green Party is calling for active transport access across the Auckland Harbour Bridge to be a priority as the future of the SkyPath remains uncertain. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today expressed New Zealand’s sorrow at the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. “Our thoughts are with Her Majesty The Queen at this profoundly sad time. On behalf of the New Zealand people and the Government, I would like to express ...
We, the Home Affairs, Interior, Security and Immigration Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (the ‘Five Countries’) met via video conference on 7/8 April 2021, just over a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Guided by our shared ...
Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni has today announced the opening of the first round of Ngā Puninga Toi ā-Ahurea me ngā Kaupapa Cultural Installations and Events. “Creating jobs and helping the arts sector rebuild and recover continues to be a key part of the Government’s COVID-19 response,” Carmel ...
Interim legislation that is already proving to keep people safer from drugs will be made permanent, Health Minister Andrew Little says. Research by Victoria University, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, shows that the Government’s decision in December to make it legal for drug-checking services to operate at festivals ...
Public consultation launched on ways to improve behaviour and reduce damage Tighter rules proposed for either camping vehicles or camping locations Increased penalties proposed, such as $1,000 fines or vehicle confiscation Rental companies may be required to collect fines from campers who hire vehicles Public feedback is sought on proposals ...
The Government is continuing to support Air New Zealand while aviation markets stabilise and the world moves towards more normal border operations. The Crown loan facility made available to Air New Zealand in March 2020 has been extended to a debt facility of up to $1.5 billion (an additional $600 ...
Christchurch’s Richmond suburb will soon have a new community hub, following the gifting of a red-zoned property by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) to the Richmond Community Gardens Trust. The Minister for Land Information, Damien O’Connor said that LINZ, on behalf of the Crown, will gift a Vogel Street house ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says the reopening of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ (MPP) Languages Funding in 2021 will make sure there is a future for Pacific languages. “Language is the key to the wellbeing for Pacific people. It affirms our identity as Pasifika and ...
It is a pleasure to be here tonight. Thank you Cameron for the introduction and thank you for ERANZ for also hosting this event. Last week in fact, we had one of the largest gatherings in our sector, Downstream 2021. I have heard from my officials that the discussion on ...
Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods has today announced the 16 projects that will together get $3.9 million through the 2021 round of Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund, further strengthening the Government’s commitment to Māori knowledge in science and innovation. “We received 78 proposals - the highest ...
The Government is delivering on a key election commitment to tackle climate change, by banning new low and medium temperature coal-fired boilers and partnering with the private sector to help it transition away from fossil fuels. This is the first major announcement to follow the release of the Climate Commission’s ...
Six projects, collectively valued at over $70 million are delivering new schools, classrooms and refurbished buildings across Central Otago and are helping to ease the pressure of growing rolls in the area, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins. The National Education Growth Plan is making sure that sufficient capacity in the ...
Two more schools are now complete as part of the Christchurch Schools Rebuild Programme, with work about to get under way on another, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins. Te Ara Koropiko – West Spreydon School will welcome students to their new buildings for the start of Term 2. The newly ...
The Government is acting to ensure decisions on responding to the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic are informed by the best available scientific evidence and strategic public health advice. “New Zealand has worked towards an elimination strategy which has been successful in keeping our people safe and our economy ...
Six Māori scholars have been awarded Ngārimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial scholarships for 2021, Associate Education Minister and Ngārimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today. The prestigious Manakura Award was also presented for the first time since 2018. “These awards are a tribute to the heroes of the 28th ...
New Zealand’s aerospace industry is getting a boost through the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), to grow the capability of the sector and potentially lead to joint space missions, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods has announced. 12 New Zealand organisations have been chosen to work with world-leading experts at ...
The Government is backing more initiatives to boost New Zealand’s food and fibre sector workforce, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. “The Government and the food and fibres sector have been working hard to fill critical workforce needs. We've committed to getting 10,000 more Kiwis into the sector over the ...
Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni has welcomed the first reading of the Social Security (Subsequent Child Policy Removal) Amendment Bill in the House this evening. “Tonight’s first reading is another step on the way to removing excessive sanctions and obligations for people receiving a Main Benefit,” says ...
The Government has taken a significant step towards delivering on its commitment to improve the legislation around mental health as recommended by He Ara Oranga – the report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction, Health Minister Andrew Little says. The Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment ...
Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta has welcomed the Local Government (Rating of Whenua Māori) Amendment Bill passing its third reading today. “After nearly 100 years of a system that was not fit for Māori and did not reflect the partnership we have come to expect between Māori and the Crown, ...
New Zealand’s successful management of COVID means quarantine-free travel between New Zealand and Australia will start on Monday 19 April, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed the conditions for starting to open up quarantine free travel with Australia have ...
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little welcomed ngā uri o Ngāti Hinerangi to Parliament today to witness the third reading of their Treaty settlement legislation, the Ngāti Hinerangi Claims Settlement Bill. “I want to acknowledge ngā uri o Ngāti Hinerangi and the Crown negotiations teams for working tirelessly ...
Minister of Police Poto Williams has announced the members of the Ministers Arms Advisory Group, established to ensure balanced advice to Government on firearms that is independent of Police. “The Ministers Arms Advisory Group is an important part of delivering on the Government’s commitment to ensure we maintain the balance ...
Kiri Allan, Minister of Conservation and Emergency Management will undertake a leave of absence while she undergoes medical treatment for cervical cancer, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “I consider Kiri not just a colleague, but a friend. This news has been devastating. But I also know that Kiri is ...
Excellent progress has been made at the new prison development at Waikeria, which will boost mental health services and improve rehabilitation opportunities for people in prison, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says. Kelvin Davis was onsite at the new build to meet with staff and see the construction first-hand, following a ...
To reduce the trauma of road crashes caused by drug impaired drivers, an Independent Expert Panel on Drug Driving has proposed criminal limits and blood infringement thresholds for 25 impairing drugs, Minister of Police Poto Williams and Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. The Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill ...
Temporary COVID-19 immigration powers will be extended to May 2023, providing continued flexibility to support migrants, manage the border, and help industries facing labour shortages, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announced today. “Over the past year, we have had to make rapid decisions to vary visa conditions, extend expiry dates, and ...
Temporary COVID-19 immigration powers will be extended to May 2023, providing continued flexibility to support migrants, manage the border, and help industries facing labour shortages, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announced today. “Over the past year, we have had to make rapid decisions to vary visa conditions, extend expiry dates, and ...
The Government is expanding its Pregnancy and Parenting Programme so more women and whānau can access specialist support to minimise harm from alcohol and other drugs, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “We know these supports help improve wellbeing and have helped to reduce addiction, reduced risk for children, and helped ...
*** Please check against delivery *** It’s an honour to be here in Rūātoki today, a rohe with such a proud and dynamic history of resilience, excellence and mana. Tūhoe moumou kai, moumou taonga, moumou tangata ki te pō. The Ahuwhenua Trophy competition is the legacy of a seed planted ...
The economic recovery from COVID-19 continues to be reflected in the Government’s books, which are again better than expected. The Crown accounts for the eight months to the end of February 2021 showed both OBEGAL and the operating balance remain better than forecast in the Half Year Economic and Fiscal ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson and Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash have welcomed confirmation New Zealand will host the opening ceremony and match, and one of the semi-finals, of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023. Grant Robertson says matches will be held in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin, ...
Changes to the minimum wage, main benefit levels and superannuation rates that come into force today will raise the incomes for around 1.4 million New Zealanders. “This Government is committed to raising the incomes for all New Zealanders as part of laying the foundations for a better future,” Minister for ...
The New Dunedin Hospital – Whakatuputupu has been approved for consideration under the fast track consenting legislation. The decision by Environment Minister David Parker signifies the importance of the project to the health of the people of Otago-Southland and to the economy of the region. “This project ticks all the ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood is getting Auckland light rail back on track with the announcement of an establishment unit to progress this important city-shaping project and engage with Aucklanders. Michael Wood said the previous process didn’t involve Aucklanders enough. ...
The Minister of Tourism is to re-open a government fund that supports councils to build infrastructure for visitors, with a specific focus on regions hardest hit by the loss of overseas tourists. “Round Five of the Tourism Infrastructure Fund will open for applications next month,” said Stuart Nash. It ...
A Governance Group of eight experts has been appointed to lead the next phase of work on a potential new public media entity, Minister for Broadcasting and Media Kris Faafoi announced today. “The Governance Group will oversee the development of a business case to consider the viability of a new ...
Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson today helped launch a new fund to provide direct financial support for tamariki and rangatahi Māori throughout the South Island who is experiencing financial hardship and missing out on physical activity opportunities. “Through Te Kīwai Fund, we can offer more opportunities for Māori to ...
Six whānau in Pāpāmoa receive the keys to their brand-new rental homes today, in stage four of a papakāinga project providing safe and affordable housing in the regions. Minister for Māori Development, Willie Jackson congratulates Mangatawa Pāpāmoa Blocks Incorporated on the opening of three affordable rentals and three social housing ...
Kia ora tatou. It’s great to be here today and to get a conversation going on the disarmament issues of greatest interest to you, and to the Government. I’m thrilled to be standing here as a dedicated Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, which I hope reinforces for you all ...
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Judith Collins’ National Party leadership is under more scrutiny, with increased talk in the media of her being replaced by brand new MP Christopher Luxon. For many commentators it’s just a question of “when” rather than “if” Collins is replaced. While ...
Kiwi Seafarers continue to feel shortchanged by the New Zealand Government. On the 1st of December 2020 the UN general Assembly called for all Seafarers to be designated as Key Workers . International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack ...
Revelations that foreign affairs officials have approved the sale of military equipment to a host of human-rights-abusing countries, including Israel, is an outrage. In recent years foreign affairs has been dominated by trade priorities with concerns ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Quilty, Senior Staff Specialist, Alice Springs Hospital. Honorary, Australian National University A sizeable chunk of Northern Territory’s doctors are thinking about leaving the territory because of climate change, our new research shows. Our study, just published in The Lancet Planetary Health, ...
With the trans-Tasman bubble on the way, Auckland Airport has undertaken the unique challenge of splitting one airport into two. Matthew Scott went along to see what the parallel worlds look like. Birdsong is piped into an empty hallway. A message to nobody plays on the intercom. Luxury stores ...
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners is today marking the death of their patron, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Phillip had been patron of the College for 47 years, since he formally handed over ...
"People are walking up the hill, as we walk down, with their hands on their hips, their faces red, or looking directly at the path, not game enough to look up to see how far they’ve got to go": a portrait of a relationship set in a Dunedin landmark, by ...
It was with great sadness that I received notification from Buckingham Palace that His Royal Highness Prince Philip has died at Windsor Castle. The death of His Royal Highness is a great loss to Her Majesty the Queen, the members of the Royal Family ...
The Royal Commonwealth Society expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The Royal Commonwealth Society expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences to our Patron, Her Majesty ...
9 April 2021 Monarchy New Zealand today expresses its sadness at the passing of Queen of New Zealand’s consort, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip Prince Philip died aged 99. Prince Philip is the longest-serving consort in New Zealand’s history. ...
"On behalf of ACT, I would like to express sincere condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family. "Prince Philip will be remembered for his long dedication to public service. He has selflessly contributed to a long period of stability ...
Critic's Chair: Guy Somerset salutes Losing Alice, a compelling eight-part psychological thriller showing on Apple TV+ Who doesn’t like a compliment, a bit of flattery? But, unless you happen to be Donald J Trump, when the flattery spills over into sycophancy you tend to get suspicious. Alice Ginor (Ayelet Zurer) ...
WATCH: Silver Ferns shooter Monica Falkner talks about the pain of losing her dad, then fighting back from injury in part three of Pure As. Monica Falkner knows her dad, David, would have shed tears watching her finally play for the Silver Ferns against England last year - after five harrowing ...
Rampant house prices mean saving money for a deposit on a home is becoming increasingly fruitless. But just how long does it take in today’s market compared to a few years ago?Of all the essential and obscure pecuniary concepts that we learn throughout life, saving is one of those things ...
From the trauma of loss, Jean Sergent built a stage production that offers an invitation to others to embrace the radical possibility that things can get better.I’ve always been interested in death and dying – not the mechanics of it, but the social conditions. How death is prepared for, announced, ...
For almost three years, Onzo’s black and yellow fleet littered New Zealand’s streets with an accessible and affordable two-wheel option. Then it vanished, leaving behind a trail of angry and perplexed customers. Auckland’s first dockless bike-share scheme has disappeared in much the same way it first arrived – quietly, mysteriously and ...
Ardent disciple of mountain, valley, river and sky, Brian Turner is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated poets. Michelle Langstone travelled to his central Otago home to meet and hear the man who commands the language of the landscape.The landscape starts speaking to you from the turnoff on to the ...
George Driver heads to the end of the Earth to spend his birthday alone in New Zealand’s forgotten city.“Don’t go to Invercargill.”I’d spent most of my life a couple of hours’ drive from Invercargill. But every time I considered going I was confronted with this advice: “Don’t go, it’s not ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Jeffrey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Southern Cross University Trees are the Earth’s lungs – it’s well understood they drawdown and lock up vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But emerging research is showing trees can also emit methane, and it’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Last week, people were falling over themselves to get vaccination appointments and had to be told, by their doctors and their government, to be patient. Patience is still needed — indeed, more than ever — ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A week ago, people were falling over themselves to get vaccination appointments and had to be told, by their doctors and their government, to be patient. Patience is still needed — indeed, more than ever ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, La Trobe University Last night, the federal government announced substantially revised plans for the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Australia. Due to concerns about the vaccine’s possible links to a rare blood-clotting disorder, and following advice from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Aigner, PhD candidate Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy, Australian National University On Saturday at the Adelaide Festival there will a public showing of Australian Atomic Confessions, a documentary I co-directed about the tragic and long-lasting effects of the atomic weapons testing ...
The Human Rights Commission is calling for more information on the justification behind the temporary suspension of travel from India. “Temporarily banning New Zealanders from returning home from India is a significant limitation on their freedom ...
The Chinese developers who caused an environmental disaster on an idyllic Fijian island have been found guilty on two counts of undertaking unauthorised developments in relation to a planned 370-bure resort and casino. The Suva Magistrates Court delivered its verdict against Freesoul Real Estate today, after the ruling date was pushed out twice with no ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Esterman, Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of South Australia Australia’s vaccine rollout is in chaos. The news last night the AstraZeneca vaccine, the only one Australia has guaranteed supply of, would not be recommended for people under 50 due to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jan Golembiewski, Researcher, University of Technology Sydney The Royal Commission into Aged Care left organisations that provide housing for aged care wondering how they will put its recommendations into effect. Most of these recommendations relate to the models of care and levels ...
Our Beehive bulletin The Government’s ban on new low and medium temperature coal-fired boilers and partnering with the private sector to help it transition away from fossil fuels perhaps ranked as the most important Beehive announcement yesterday. It was the first major announcement to follow the release of the Climate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nikki Turner, Professor, University of Auckland From next week, unvaccinated staff working at managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities will be moved to low-risk jobs, following a case of a worker who missed vaccination appointments and then tested positive for COVID-19. The ...
The proposed Regulatory Standards Bill has been welcomed by Energy Resources Aotearoa as a useful tool in developing better public policy. The Bill was drawn from the members ballot at Parliament on Thursday. "This should help deliver better policy ...
Division and social discord has undermined Covid-19 responses in other western nations. We must do everything we can to prevent that taking seed here, writes Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman. The Ministry of Health has done a stellar job in keeping us all safe. I have no doubt that the latest ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Mirror Book by Charlotte Grimshaw (Vintage, $38)Excerpt from Emma Espiner’s fantastic Spinoff review of this fantastic ...
Eight Wellington City Councillors – given the critical constitutional choice of Treaty partnership or democracy – yesterday voted in favour of further undermining the council’s democratic election and decision-making structures by granting voting rights to the representatives appointed by Maori tribes to sit on council committees. Only six councillors voted ...
Mike Hosking did, didn’t, does, doesn’t, will and won’t want to have the PM on his radio show, while simultaneously accusing the New Zealand media of being asleep at the wheel, writes James Elliott It was reported in the news this week that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere ...
Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez March’s labelling of police dogs as being “attack dogs” is as out of touch as it is insulting to our entire police force, says Darroch Ball co-leader of Sensible Sentencing Trust. “A bill seeking to increase the maximum ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Reilly, Professor, University of Western Australia Could a change be afoot in the way Australians vote in federal elections? The Coalition government may be eyeing a shift to optional preferential voting — as used in New South Wales — which allows ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is urging action in the case against New Zealand-born Paul Mora, who allegedly fraudulently claimed €113 million in German tax credits. Paul Mora is wanted by Interpol in relation to the Cum-Ex tax affair after failing ...
An almost forgotten moment in our history, brought into the spotlight by a gutsy new theatre show, reveals uncomfortable truths about the history of race relations in Aotearoa.In a country that has until very recently avoided teaching its own history in schools, it’s perhaps unsurprising that a confrontation between university ...
A new poem from Ōtautahi-based poet Claudia Jardine.Ode to Mons Pubisfatty tissue, edifice of overturesjoints, ligaments, bones, cartilagedark turns to stars when I think aboutthe buttress of pubic symphysisyes! paths of faery lights, yes! brambly wadsyes! tracks of calligraphic gastropodsyes! tender grasses, yes! boxed bedsclippings from a crooner’s greenhousetopiary of ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is speaking to media a day after announcing a suspension of travel from India because of high numbers of Covid-19 cases. ...
The country's largest education union, NZEI Te Riu Roa, is backing the school students striking for climate action across the country today. NZEI Te Riu Roa President Liam Rutherford says the organisation "fully supports tamariki and educators who ...
At its core, Aotearoa New Zealand’s housing crisis is not about houses, but about the way we think about wealth, community, ourselves and our neighbours, the economy, education system, and much more. The only solutions to this problem involve everyone. ...
One year ago today managed isolation became mandatory for travellers arriving into New Zealand. The joint heads of Managed Isolation and Quarantine, Megan Main and Brigadier Jim Bliss, have paid tribute to the efforts of those who’ve contributed ...
Public feedback is now invited to improve freedom camping in New Zealand. To support the public consultation, the first of a series of public meetings throughout Aotearoa is being held at the Ellen Melville Centre in central Auckland from 2pm – 4pm on ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Click here to subscribe to Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup and New Zealand Politics Daily. Today’s contentCovid: India travel ban Luke Malpass (Stuff): Is the the ‘temporary’ India travel ban proportional ...
Hospitals should be a place of welcome and healing. But for gender-diverse people and their families, going to the hospital can feel like walking into a linguistic minefield. While a child was being treated at a New Zealand hospital last month, a health professional kept using the wrong gender pronouns ...
Local Government New Zealand welcomes the long overdue review of self-contained freedom camping rules announced by Tourism Minister Stuart Nash today. “Many councils across the country welcome the contribution freedom campers make to local economies,” ...
A new just transition plan released today by Climate Justice Taranaki calls for a major shift towards a domestic economy and away from exports and imports in a phase out of fossil fuels by 2030. The document focuses on Aotearoa’s three main greenhouse ...
Today Renters United launches their campaign for #RentControlsNow. This comes just weeks after the Government announced it’s housing package, a package that Renters United said “fell short of delivering any change to over one third of New Zealanders ...
Three… two… one… blast-off! They’re an incredible sight, but what’s the impact of rocket launches on the environment? Mirjam Guesgen investigates.Commercial space flights, moon colonies and missions to Mars are all exciting prospects. Some of them are even being helped along by New Zealand companies. Rocket launches are loud, ground-shaking, smoggy ...
A government committed to fairness and responsible law-making should not allow two bills recently drawn from the Member’s Ballot to sink without debate, Federated Farmers says. "At the very least the Regulatory Standards Bill and the Income ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ritesh Chugh, Senior Lecturer – Information Systems and Analysis, CQUniversity Australia If you’ve ever gotten your phone wet in the rain, dropped it in water or spilt liquid over it, you’re not alone. One study suggests 25% of smartphone users have damaged ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Macaulay, Professor of Public Administration, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Following a number of high-profile inquiries into workplace misconduct — including within parliament, the police and fire service — it became clear people who report such behaviour in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Seale, Associate professor, UNSW This year is shaping up as the year of the COVID-19 vaccination photo, with the pandemic providing seemingly endless photo opportunities. We’ve seen stock photos of people getting vaccinated in news reports, images of the prime minister ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucinda McKnight, Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy and Curriculum, Deakin University Robots are writing more of what we read on the internet. And artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools are becoming freely available for anyone, including students, to use. In a period of rapid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW House prices are back in the news, and out of control. In the past three months the median house price in Sydney has risen by more than A$100,000 to A$1.12 million. Sydney’s median residential property price ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for April 9, bringing you the latest news throughout the day. For one day only, Stewart is off, so to get in touch email Bulletin editor Alex Braae at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz.The Spinoff can’t exist without our members. If you want to help us stay ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Four key questions for the climate strikers, unvaccinated border worker tests positive, and big implications of ban on arrivals from India.We’re going to start today’s Bulletin with something different – a short interview. Because today teenagers across the country will once ...
The climate strikes are finally back! It’s been a turbulent year-and-a-half since our last strike, with two cancellations due to COVID-19, but finally we’re back with our fourth Intergenerational Strike 4 Climate. Christina Sieberhagen, 15, is ...
Staff from the animal rights organisation SAFE are going on strike today and will be marching with School Strike 4 Climate NZ in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. SAFE CEO Debra Ashton said the strike is especially important to SAFE because farming ...
From: Auckland Feminist Action and Migrant Zine Collective Feminist coalitions across Tāmaki Makaurau are calling on elected leaders to put an end to sexual violence in Aotearoa. The coalitions on Saturday, April 10 at 2pm, will march down Queen Street ...
Locals in Timaru and Ahuriri preparing for protests this Saturday and Sunday respectively due to the influx of live export ships Aotearoa has seen this week. Two live export ships arrived at Ahuriri this week, with another two arriving this weekend. Thousands ...
New Zealanders in India are devastated the government has taken the unprecedented step of suspending all travel from the Covid-19 hot spot leaving them stranded. ...
New research shows one in five preterm babies in New Zealand hospitals have 'refeeding syndrome'. Dr Barbara Cormack takes a close look at the problem. When you’re starving, eating can be fatal. 'Refeeding syndrome’ was described after World War II, following liberation, when some chronically-starved Japanese soldiers died after they were fed a ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve BrauniasIn the photo above:We resume our series of photos of authors nominated for the 2021 Ockham New Zealand national book awards with this portrait of Nina Mingya Powles. Her ...
Hope Paula Bennett holds up a lethal dose of "weed" in the house today. If she won't you do it Prime Minister.
That would be pretty funny – unfortunately it wouldn't fit through the doors. Suffice to say the only risk of death from a lethal dose would be through it falling on you and crushing or suffocating you.
Bennett's been a poster-child for dishonesty and lack of integrity for a decade now, so her oregano-waving is par for her unsavoury course. It's depressing that she so consistently gets away with it.
She’s tarnished the image of green growers by using a plastic bag. She could have used an edible cup, for example.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/117927572/air-new-zealand-trials-edible-vanillaflavoured-coffee-cups-to-reduce-waste
How about a re-useable glass jam jar?
The sealed top would keep the plant fresh?
What is the scene like in Wellington?
Could anyone score that much Oregano before question time?
I m an alcoholic I have struggled with it for decades I consume 90 – 200 grams of alcohol a day (yeah food is a much lower priority). When I have cannabis to smoke I lose interest in drinking – if it is legalised with the home growing allowed …I will smoke about 1 gram a day instead of ingesting 90 – 200 grams a day of alcohol. I see the merchants of hate doing their utmost to try to prevent this – images of Bridges and Bennett induce revulsion, depression and fear in me. /rant ends
With you there Barfly 100%
Best treatment is "preventive medicine"
" I see the merchants of hate doing their utmost to try to prevent this – images of Bridges and Bennett induce revulsion, depression and fear in me. "
They do such damage with their politicking and lies, and I hope in this case it is seen by all NZers as the hot air of rancid balloons that it is. I would prefer a government who looks at the harm done by current laws to change them without need for referendum. Let's hope that is the case within the next couple of years, it will benefit many – as well as yourself.
with any luck they're run a paper bag over the head style campaign like the rich people did with MMP and get a backlash over their stpuidity.
Does big alcohol donate to the nats?
Donate? not sure – but there are ties
"Katherine Rich served as a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the National Party from 1999 to 2008. She has been chief executive of the New Zealand Food & Grocery Council, an industry lobby group, since 2009. Wikipedia"
She was active on the debate on rtd's from memory.
Big alcohol used to be thought as big funder to Nats.
There was Sir Henry Kelliher. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Kelliher#Business
And Sir Ernest Davis. http://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/docs/1987/NZJH_21_1_07.pdf
So when is Jones going to be sacked for corruption?.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/404837/new-details-revealed-over-nz-first-linked-company-and-shane-jones-office
Probably about the same time Bill English is arrested for fraud…that is never
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10600100
The old double dipper bru haha
Buster 12 my question to you is if this is true here;
“The Latest on the US Democratic Party “Impeachment into Trump inquiry” results so far is – “Nothing to see here” according to the Democratic impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.”
Democratic Party you are a wasting lots of valuable of time here,
Question is ; US democratic Party- Why don’t you get on to fix our planet will you.!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is a fitting quote here is; “US Democratic Party is siting doing nothing while Rome burns”
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-gop-report-says-no-evidence-for-trump-impeachment-warns-of-dangerous-precedent
Quote;
“The fact that Republicans may be derelict in their duty does not relieve us of our obligation to uphold and defend the Constitution,” Schiff tweeted last week.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., also ripped Trump for not fully cooperating with Congress.
“If the President thinks the call was ‘perfect’ and there is nothing to hide then he would turn over the thousands of pages of documents requested by Congress, allow witnesses to testify instead of blocking testimony with baseless privilege claims, and provide any exculpatory information that refutes the overwhelming evidence of his abuse of power,” he said in a statement.
Not sure what you're on about, that has nothing to do with what i asked.
Well you are here now calling for a 'sacking' of one of our MPs in NZ, we see as based on slim pickings, similar to the same thing happening in Washington now.
So its about your slim narrative you involve in as Democratic party are in Washington.
Are you a member of some 'anti-NZ First political hit'?
Now we all know what happened to Paula's "oregano" and the "baking powder" she'd bagged up for today…
"We need a President who isn’t a laughing stock to the entire World,” Donald Trump tweeted in 2014. “We need a truly great leader, a genius at strategy and winning. Respect!”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/12/04/world-is-laughing-donald-trump/
Trump's mental health questioned.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-mental-state-impeachment-psychiatrist-petition-congress-a9232386.html
The health of USA political system questioned too!
Interesting how the world 'unites' at the 'hilarity' of Trump..what we really need is a world where any and all leaders who don't advocate for a basic level of equality for all their citizens, and who don't bring around actual real change to prepare for the climate disaster currently brewing..that those leaders are treated as the odd one out..the 'joke' if you will..especially those in comparatively wealthy, educated and proggresive Nations.
Watching Princess Anne* being entertained by the likes of Macron, Trudeau, Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte with their hilarious observations of Trump I couldn't help but wonder who would be the first to crack a joke about that naughty pedo brother of hers and his sex trafficker friends..oh, yeah, and ol' Bill Clinton..
* at the Buckingham Palace drinks reception for NATO leaders last night
There is a large number of people who find Trump particularly amusing or entertaining. I suspect it is because they are not those who are impacted by his government and policies. Those who are – quite rightly – will be understandably terrified of this man and the harm he and his government have inflicted. And no-one really knows what his next transgression will be. It is almost like the hyper-vigilance children often have when a parent is both violent and unpredictable.
"..what we really need is a world where any and all leaders who don't advocate for a basic level of equality for all their citizens, and who don't bring around actual real change to prepare for the climate disaster currently brewing.. ..that those leaders are treated as the odd one out.. " I'll join you in hoping for the next iteration of leaders. They'll be needed.
Live animal exports – let's stop. They don't get a luxury cruise, they didn't want to go anywhere away from their home paddock, and they suffer discomfort all the way at least, which will increase as world weather patterns become more extreme, and many may die in distress. Stop this, can we hold onto values of care and not behave like boorish and brutal …. (think your own description).
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/12/05/review-of-controversial-live-export-trade-open-for-public-submissions-safe/
When do submissions close? This on google:
Review of livestock exports from New Zealand | MPI | NZ …
https://www.mpi.govt.nz › news-and-resources › consultations › review-of-li…
Nov 22, 2019 – Review of livestock exports. Closing Date: 22 Jan 2020. Contact: Animal welfare policy. Email: livestock.consult@mpi.govt.nz …
Thanks for raising this Greywarshark and providing the link.
This is an interesting searching piece about Wellington planners other-planet plans. 2/12/2019
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=124202
Some interesting figures that savenz found on PPP in the UK – these apply to roading: https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/12/04/the-daily-blog-open-mic-wednesday-4th-december-2019/#comment-483347
roading This report: https://image.guim.co.uk/sys-files/Society/documents/2004/11/24/PFI.pdf
found that PPP “contracts are considerably more expensive than the cost of conventional procurement”, resulting in higher returns for the companies running the PPP’s compared to their industry peers.
While hard to compare because of the opaque nature of many contracts and large amounts of subcontracting out, it looked like the actual cost of capital of the PPP’s was 11% compared to Treasure borrowing of 4.5% i.e. 6.5% higher. This is supposed to represent the cost of risk transfer but in practice there was no risk transfer so it’s money for nothing.
The Greenpeace "OMV" protests have been very stylish events. The latest, where a "Museum to oil" was set up, shows how well presented these protests have become; no hand-scribbled placards here; everything that gets seen by the public is, well, classy, these days.
Thanks! I made a post about it
Seems to me that activists are more sophisticated; they use smart phones instead of megaphones. Some protests are gentrified events.
"Some protests are gentrified events"
'cept for that "locked-on" bit
Handcuffs are quite popular in gentrified suburbs, I’ve been told.
Fendalton anti-oil protesters, putting in the hard-yards…who knew???
Never judge a book by its cover. I find Prius drivers quite aggressive on the road. I haven’t seen too many Teslas so I’ll have to reserve judgment on those.
Prius drivers aggressive? Perhaps they haven't been able to find the key to the cuffs?
Bill
I am surprised Israel Folau didn’t get a mention. Christmas certainly came early for the $8 million dollar man. Free speech, not rugby, was the winner.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
The ARU decision to issue Folau a new 4 year contract after the first social media contention would itself rank as one of the bigger blunders made by any sports body executives.
And that was before the sacking, the impasse since and the cost of the settlement – so it now ranks as one of the all-time great blunders. Her own contract is unlikely to be renewed. 
By the way the CEO says that the $8M is untrue and it is less (journalists will speculate to get clarification of the area of the amount).
If the cost to the ARU settlement is greater than
1.future legal costs BAD
2. the unpaid part of the 4 year contract (3 years – 3.6M) VERY BAD.
3. closer to 8 than 4, DISASTROUS.
Jamie Stern-Weiner argues that the (UK based) The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) is shifting the goal posts to portray that antisemitism is higher on the left (polling done via You Gov), and not the right (based around questions about Israel).
https://jamiesternweiner.wordpress.com/2019/12/03/fake-campaign-against-antisemitism/
(based around questions about Israel)
Framing the questions to give you the answers that suit your agenda is a long-standing problem in the social sciences.
People are turning to the gypsy life, not choosing to form a settled community that they help build and support?
(https://play.stuff.co.nz/details/_6106975299001
That looks like some fun.and good on Joel for building up a career as an inspirational speaker…but they really should have a disclaimer...
"World Nomads, the global travel brand and insurance provider.".
Advertising has become very under the radar these days.
So the ODT has changed how it selects cartoons – now throws it to the news team rather than just leaving it to the editor.
I guess "we got it wrong" should read "I got it wrong".
I had the impression from Stewart that he didn't make the decision eg when asked directly he said something like it was his responsibility. The kind of answer you'd give as a boss for someone under you who had fucked up who you weren't going to throw under the bus. I could be wrong and he might have just been trying to soften the blows towards himself.
That's a good apology now. Respect.
It's a fine apology, I'll give it that.
It also includes the lines (my italics):
So the author of the apology was the only person at the ODT who selected what cartoon to publish.
That's the perils of contracting out, I guess. I watched a doco a few years ago on a veteran US newspaper cartoonist – apparently each day he'd scratch up a dozen and then show them around the newsroom to see which one people saluted the most. I guess if one guy is writing from a lifestyle block near Queenstown and it's only being reviewed by an editor of 'a similar demographic', outright crass disregard for the lives of people of colour might slip under the radar.
If the Editor was off sick or had a personal emergency, who was making decisions? I assume 'editor' there means a single position, not a single person.
It might have been Stewart, who possibly wasn't paying attention and later realised just how bad a mistake it was. That could be a similar demographic issue as well or someone overworked/stressed.
I'm thinking his willingness to front up suggests this wasn't a case of pushing the controversy envelope for the sake of it and now backtracking in the face of public criticism (i.e. he seems to genuinely agree it was a terrible decision).
I guess I'm just pleased to see someone who seems genuine and made an actual apology instead of a faux, get me out of hot water one.
of course, I have no idea, am just going off the bits I've read. I don't have a sense of him as a person.
True that.
But this isn't the first time Tremain has done some pretty shite cartoons. I don't get the impression he tries to be edgy for clicks, so much as that he's a privileged dick who doesn't bother to check if he's punching down.
Totally agree with that. Tremain is just an arsehole who doesn't give a shit (or worse, thinks he's not doing anything wrong). The impression I have is that it's the *papers that publish his cartoons because of the edge. In this case they seriously misjudged how bad the cartoon was and I guess that's in part because they're acclimatised to his routine racism, having published it for so long. I hope this is part of their review.
I get the impression that the ODT runs Garrick Tremain for the same reason the Fortune Theatre loved to run Roger Hall plays: it's what seemed to get the local audience amongst the provincial well-to-dos who still want to pay for subscriptions to the actual paper. And I think Tremain gets points for having been around for so long and being "local".
To be fair, Tremain has the cartoon art schtick down pat. Some of his political party stuff is good. It's just that his best caricature is of "cartoonist for the moneyed colonialist patriarchy". And the ODT has always been the voice of the establishment, as far back as I can recall. To the degree that an NLP comrade of mine reckoned he knew for sure that Lab4 had turned tory when the ODT editorial started singing its praises.
Lol that last bit.
Ok, so Tremain might be valued for his overall body of work rather than the pushing the edge ones?
I was wondering yesterday who still reads a physical paper. I only read one when I'm in a cafe. I see people on twitter saying they bought a copy of the Herald to read something that was paywalled, which is interesting.
Also interesting was Stuff republishing the measles cartoon in their coverage of the response from the public and the ODT despite also writing a clear description of the cartoon content.
Tremain has been going for thirty years. The ODT much longer.
I'm not sure either have really moved on in the last few decades.
I can't shake the feeling that neither of them were being edgy. It's possible that the editor didn't really review the cartoon itself, but it's equally possible neither the editor nor the cartoonist saw anything wrong with it. Because that's how NZ was as a matter of routine. We're still "racist as fuck", but at least sometimes the people who refuse to change get called out on it now.
The best I can think of is that the literal dozens of deaths were fighting for attention in their minds against the perception of measles as a fairly harmless disease… just "spots". If 50 kids had died in a bus accident in Samoa, I doubt there would have been a cartoon about someone failing their local car WoF inspection.
Yep, changed my mind, I think you are right and I was wrong giving Stewart the benefit of the doubt. Long standing pattern of behaviour,
suspect it wasnt reviewed by anyone….and was tone deaf…Tremain defended it even after pointed out.
he submitted it and it was published without any oversight?
If a cartoonist can't offend, then free speech is worthless. That's something we can take from the Israel Folau saga, which saw Rugby Australia capitulate. RA inexplicably thought rugby, and its sponsors, were more important than free speech. Numpties.
Besides, what the cartoonist did in this instance can be seen and heard on just about any episode of 7 Days.
normally would agree cartoonists are to challenge but some things really need self censorship/compassion
do you believe there should be no limits on free speech? eg a cartoon graphically depicting the rape of a child would be ok?
What about a cartoon inciting racial violence?
do you believe there should be no limits on free speech? eg a cartoon graphically depicting the rape of a child would be ok?
What about a cartoon inciting racial violence?
Tremain's cartoon does neither, so it might be useful to talk about reality rather than take a detour into fantasy. Certainly free speech has its limits. But some people take offence at the drop of a hat. You are free to take offence or not.Taking offence isn't compulsory. I'm not offended by Tremain's cartoon. I'm also not offended by 7 Days, whose attempt at humour can be more extreme than anything done by Tremain.
There was outrage among some people at the cartoon of Serena Williams following her meltdown at the US open in 2018. Actually, it was an accurate portrayal of Williams’ petulant behaviour.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/feb/25/serena-williams-cartoon-not-racist-australian-media-watchdog-rules
ok, so you're not arguing that cartoonists should be free to offend at will, you're saying there should be a limit but in this case the limit is wrong. What makes you think you should get to say where the limit is rather than others?
Limits are prescribed in law. You might recall MP Louisa Wall going to the High Court because she didn't like an Al Nisbet cartoon. She lost, of course, because the Nisbet cartoon wasn't inciting violence. In fact, it didn't come close to inciting violence. Again, if you choose to be offended, that's your choice. But you can just as easily choose not to be offended.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11992927
a cartoon depicting the rape of child wouldn't necessarily be illegal. So where is the limit? Saying you want to talk about reality doesn't help, I suspect that's you simply sidestepping the fact that you have a limit and aren't being honest about it. But maybe I'm wrong, maybe you are ok with such a cartoon. Either way, you're still saying that you should get to decide where the limit is, whereas at the moment society generally accepts the limit is reached before legality.
Freedom of speech is at core a principle that governments shouldn't prevent citizens from expressing opinions. There's no government involvement here. Tremain is still free to post his cartoon on his website. He hasn't been sacked, so there is no institutional suppression of his voice there either.
What we have is a large number of people saying that it's inflammatory to use political power to make jokes about a contagious disease that is killing children while children are still dying, in a country that is in a state of emergency and that has strong family and cultural ties to NZ. Of course people are going to take that personally, there will be NZ citizens who have people close to them who have died. Grief isn't something that one just chooses out of.
Had someone made that joke on TS, they'd have been moderated because otherwise a flame war would have started and that interferes with the purpose of the site. People aren't inherently protected from being offended, but likewise people in positions of power can't just do what they want without consequence. This is the continual adjustment that society makes all the time, in large part influenced by the collective will.
Protecting society from the equivalent of flame wars is important. Protecting freedom of speech is also important but I think there needs to be a better argument than 'I can say what I want and bugger anyone who is offended'.
Weka
Nowhere am I saying I get to decide. I said the law gets to decide, usually in exceptional cases or where someone has a bee in their bonnet. The Tremain cartoon isn’t exceptional.
As for your claim that there needs to be a better argument to justify free speech, actually there doesn’t. What there ought to be is a very good argument to restrict or deny free speech. You haven’t made out such an argument.
suspect so…hes been around for a long time, doubt editor looked at it
Interesting, hadn't thought of that. It would explain the Editor’s shock.